Case Code-- Faulkner
by Jazziboon
Summary: When Edward and Alphonse go on vacation, they're supposed to escape the case files from work. However, what happens when they run into problems with just the man Central is looking for?


Edward sighed collapsing into the tall grasses of the field. The small blades licked at his skin tickling him with its soft whisper. With a huff, the platinum male watched the clouds float through the warming sky. It had been hard for him to convince Roy to give him a short break; and here he was wasting his break because Alphonse had the gall to kick him out of the library. His younger brother had even gone so far as to have the librarian block his I.D pass.

"Off time is for relaxing," Alphonse had lectured as he ushered his brother down the warn, dark wood halls of the library. "Go out, enjoy the sun brother! I can handle the research here for a little while." And with that, he had shoved the smaller boy out into the sunshine. It wasn't that Edward didn't like the sunshine, or warm days, but he had other priorities. It had already been confirmed that when he came back from his mini-vacation he would be sent off on another task. He had managed to annoy Mustang enough to tell him what it was too. Mustang had known that if he informed the boy before he left, the poor kid would never have a moments rest. However, even the impecable Roy Mustang, Flame Alchemist, couldn't withstand his subordinate's whining tantrum.

"Faulkner, huh?" Edward sighed pulling the file from his pocket—the one thing he had managed to grab and keep hidden from his brothers ever knowing eyes. Opening the manila folder, his metalic hand grazed across the photo of a man who looked eerily familiar. "What exactly have you done?" He questioned himself as he flipped through the notes barely giving each a once over. It wasn't until the young man had flipped to the one page did the information get interesting. "Human transmutation?" Edward frowned sitting up. The wind picked up blowing the blondes papers all over the field. "Oh damnit!" Edward yelped jumping up and chasing after them.

"Is this yours?" A hand waved from the grass as the figure began to stand up. The young man chuckled turning to Edward curiously as his white hair fell over his shoulder. "This plateau is a bad place to do any reading. The wind won't let you keep the papers together." Edward huffed a bit pulling the paper from the hand rougher than was polite.

"Yea, thanks." Edward grunted glancing at the pages and making sure everything was in order. "Hey, did you manage to grab the picture too?" The young man cocked his head and looked around shaking his locks. "Damn," Edward sighed rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks anyway." He stomped back towards his original spot fighting roughly with the weeds that managed to wedge their way into his automail. With a frustrated grunt, Edward's leather clad feet made contact with semi-paved roads. Relief fluttered through his chest as he began to pull the small blades from the chains and cogs of his arm. "Winry should come up with a complete plate design," He mumbled in annoyance.

"Brother!" Alphonse waved running up the road panting heavily. After getting his body back, the main focus had been on putting weight back on the thin frame. He had yet to get his stamina up to last him the full day. "Brother, there you are!" Alphonse panted trying to cool the heated flush of exertion. "There's a circus coming to town!" The younger Elric perked ecstatically. It was times like this, regretfully, that Edward realized just how much his brother had digressed while at the mercy of Truth.

"A circus?" Edward frowned shuddering at even the remotest idea of clowns. "No," The platinum stared at his sibling. "No Al, no way." The older brother instantly regretted making his way from the tossing blades of greenery.

"Edward please!" Alphonse pleaded clasping his hands together. He had learned, after his release, that if he made his eyes bigger, and pouted out his bottom lip, he could get Edward to do just about anything he wanted.

"Al," Ed whined trying to get away from his brother's sweet stare. "I don't like the circus! Besides, I have to do some research!" In that moment, Edward wished more than anything that he had kept his mouth shut. The happy smile on Al's face wavered momentarily, before being completely replaced with a paternal frown.

"Now Edward, you're on vacation!" He snapped crossing his arms. "You're not supposed to be doing anything! You know what?" He stepped away from his brother and smiled deviously. "Guess its a good thing I already bought those two tickets then, isn't it?" Ed groaned slapping his palm to his forehead.

"Fine...but I get to bring a book." Alphonse pouted softly but gave in. He knew that if he ever wanted his brother to loosen up, he'd have to give somewhere along the line. And at least with a book, it would be inconspicuous. At least he would be able to spend time with his brother outside of the stuffy library.

When the time to leave rolled around, Alphonse faced a struggle. Edward had become quite listless, and very argumentative. a

"Brother!" Alphonse groaned grabbing Edward's shoulder. "Stop! Just one book, that was the deal!" Edward groaned roughly and glared heavily at his younger brother. "You promised..." He crossed his arms poutily.

"Fine," Edward sighed putting back two of the books he chose and slipped one into his pocket. Alphonse eyed him warrily but stepped out into the crisp night air. He grinned softly, happy to be away from Central, and the smog that filled the air. The fresh air filled his lungs with an energy that zoomed quickly through his body. It was going to do him and his brother good to enjoy the night breeze.

"Hurry up!" Alphonse huffed crossing his arm. His brother was taking far too long, and Alphonse was more than sure that Edward was slipping more books into his jacket.

"I'm coming," Edward grunted closing the door behind himself. The cool wind brushed his cheeks instantly tinting them a peaceful rosey color. "Jeez Al," He sighed locking the door and starting down the steps. "How far is this place anyway?"

"Not too far," Alphonse chuckled skipping a few feet ahead of his brother. "Just enjoy yourself will you? We're on vacation...finally!" He sighed crossing his arms and glanced around at the small town they had decided to visit. "So..."Al chewed his lip looking at his brother softly. "Why didn't we go to Winry's?" Edward bristled and jerked his head away following the small crowd that left their homes chattering in excitement.

"Because," Edward sighed softly and rubbed the nape of his neck. "We had gotten in a fight, and I'm pretty sure I'm the last person she'd want to see right now." His facial features contorted in disgust. "Besides, she's got a new boyfriend anyway."

Alphonse glanced at his brother knowingly and smiled softly. It had been obvious growing up that Edward had a crush on Winry, but that Winry would end up with someone else. "I'm sure she'd still would have liked to see us." Edward let the topic drop like a hot rock.

"Besides Al," Edward smiled ruffling his younger brother's hair. "When was the last time we took a vacation, just you and me?" Al perked at the idea and couldn't help throwing his arms around his brother in a loving hug.

In the distance a brightly colored tent began to peek over the walkway. Already the sounds of joyous laughter, and excited chattering children filled the air. The stench of the animal filth molested Edward's nose, and tickled his nostrils. Crowds clustered around the openings attempting to get a peak of the freaks and attractions that were preparing inside them.

"Do we really have to go in?" Edward frowned looking around as an elephant stomped in annoyance to his left causing the ground to tremble beneath him. A sinking feeling filled his stomach as he looked around. Something about this circus seemed off. The painted faces of the employees were a little too over done, and the freakish grins plastered on some of the customers were too big to be real—they seemed almost plastic.

"It'll be fine!" Alphonse chuckled softly making his way into the seating area. With eyes searching the stands, the young man spotted an empty seat just beside the opening flap. "There!" He yelped happily and drug his older brother to the worn seats stained with liquids Edward could only guess. He sighed sitting down and looked at the nearby seats. It would be impossible to get a decent alchemical reaction with the makes of the benches—they had been soaked in lord knows what and the unknown elements could cause some severe backfire.

"Al," Edward hissed as the gas powered lights dimmed and the crowd hushed. "I really don't think..."

"Welcome! Ladies and Gents," A cockney accent crashed through the air rebounding off the fabric walls of the tent and reverberating in Edward's ears. The blonde could already feel the headache budding behind his eyes. "To the Cirque Du Anormal!" The man's attempt at a feaux French accent scratched against Edward's ears. "Where you..." The man pointed seemingly directly at Edward. "Are our only customer." The young man's surroundings seemed to have melted away. Replacing the colorful tent, and the cheering crowd were eerily smiling faces, and a black shrowd. "Come to us," The voice hissed right beside his ear. Edward jolted and slung his arm around quickly hoping to land it on the desired target.

"Alchemy," He hissed standing up. However, the floorboard beneath him gave out with a thunderous crack.

"Edward!" A voice yelped as a hand reached out and grabbed for his flesh arm. Suddenly he was grounded back in reality with the faces of the crowd staring at him in worry. "Are you alright brother?" Alphonse patted dust away from Ed's red coat. "What happened?" He whispered as his brother found his eat on the bench again. With a groan, the wood accepted the extra weight.

"He used Alchemy...I don't know what kind...but Al, something really isn't right here." Edward glared heavily at the Ring Master. "I'm gonna go look around...check this place out." He stood from his seat and made his way to the exit flap.

"But brother!" Alphonse jumped up frowning. "I'm coming with you then!"

"No," Edward looked out at the show—a blonde woman standing on the back of a horse as it ran around the ring. "You stay here. Make sure nothing happens."? Alphonse frowned tightening his grip on his brother's wrist.

"Edward," He sighed and looked back at the ring and nodded. "Fine, ten minutes. If you're not back I'm going to call Mustang." The elder sighed and nodded softly giving his brother a reassuring smile.

"Alright," Edward nodded giving a last look towards the entertainer before rushing towards the exit. Outside of the tent it was as if the world had stopped. The stars twinkled in time, and the breeze that had been promenent earlier was now motionless and silent. The fields that had been so full of life were down abandoned and left cluttered with the litter of life. A quick movement to the alchemists left caught his attention. The flap of a red coat fluttered in an invisible wind. "What the..." He growled suspiciously before silently making his way over; ducking behind the barrels and crates that held stuffed animals and ale for the crowds of adults and children.

"Well hello!" A cheery voice grated at the young Alchemist's ears. He jumped turning around in surprise to come face to face with himself. Had he been in a natural state of mind, he'd have instantly thought the copy cat were Envy. Instead though, it was as if a haze had settled over his mind and fogged his senses. "Pleasure to meet you," The voice purred as the face leaned in placing a delicate leather mask over Edward's face. Binds seemed to snake out of the ground and wrap around his wrist holding him down. The urge to struggle, which would have been his born instinct, was failing him as the fog around his mind became thicker and thicker before finally, all Edward could see was white.

"Brigadier General," Riza rushed into the mahogony office of the Flame alchemist carrying a small piece of paper stapled to a piece of red fabric. "There's a problem in the Faulkner case."


End file.
